


Tuk Braids

by crueltyland



Series: Tooking [4]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Beards, Braids, Culture, Gen, M/M, bilbo braiding, bilbo has a beard, bilbo has braids, braiding, in laketown, inside erebor, quick fic, took nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:30:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6561052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crueltyland/pseuds/crueltyland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo's hairstyle changes<br/>(More of my Took family nonsense)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tuk Braids

Kili frowned, being the keenest of eye in the group, and looked to his brother for instruction. Fili merely shrugged and whispered to Ori, who began sketching the scene before them in earnest.  
They had all, of course, noticed that Mister Baggins hair had become somewhat unruly in the time before they had entered Mirkwood, and in the dungeons of the Elvenking they had barely caught glimpse of him at all, let alone paid any heed to his hair. But now they were all too aware that Mister Bilbo Baggins hair looked far different than the soft bouncing curls he had worn in the Shire.

The dwarrow of the company watched in confused fascination as he pulled the hood he had been wearing for weeks from his head, reached for the small bowl one of the fisherman children had fetched for him, and began to fix his hair.

Thorin opened his mouth to speak about hair and dwarrow culture but was quickly silenced by Balin elbowing him sharply. 

When he finished braiding every lock of hair in little half inch sections, Bilbo simply gathered the hair in a high ponytail and tied it up with some from the back of this head.

Ori practically jumped at him when he walked away from the table in search of a cup of tea. “Master Baggins!” The hobbit looked at him, bemused at the odd behaviour of his comrades in the past afternoon, “Yes?” Ori flushed then looked at his feet, “Uh, do, does braiding have any significance in hobbit culture?” Bilbo shrugged, “Some do, others do not. I suspect it is the same with you dwarves, but of course, I will not enquire as to racial secrets.”

They had, of course, noticed how Bilbo's already golden tinged skin darkened further whilst they had stayed with Beorn, but Ori blurted out a question that had just began to tickle at the back of most of their minds, “Are you related to the Blacklocks?” Bilbo looked down towards his feet, twitched his nose, and shrugged, “The Took family have been known to, um, dilute the blood. Most hobbits are related by blood you see, and every generation one or two of the tweens will go off into the world and come home in the family way. It is what it is, I suppose. Most of us know about braiding, just in case we get stuck out in the wilds somewhere, or like my Uncle Ferumbrias, decide to run off with a dwarf and get hitched.”

Balin filed that information away in his mind for another time, and Thorin squinted at the hobbit, as if trying to unravel a secret. Nori however, had simply returned from his wandering around the town to see his lover looking markedly different. He stood in the doorway and stared. Bilbo laughed loudly, and Ori nudged him out of the way as they went in search of food.

“How did I not see it?” he asked Bofur, dropping is head on his friends shoulder. The merry dwarf grinned, “I don’t know myself. I remember you talking about sunburn in the skin-changers home.” Dori nodded to his brother, “Thats true. I was warning you about your colouring and burning your nose, you turned to fret over him and Master Baggins said-” Nori sighed, “That he doesn’t burn, just turns brown. I know! I mean, how did I not see that? He has the same nose as Tukil.”

Bilbo sauntered over and smiled broadly at his star haired dwarf, “Well, I would say that any Blacklock or Stonefoot dwarrow you meet with Tuk in their name or any variation of Took, are probably descended from, be it blood or marriage, to my mothers side of the family.” Balin entered the conversation and wisely steered it towards the differences in clothing, accidentally starting a mild feud with Dori over his preferences leaning more towards corduroy and leather over velvet and satin.

The next morning had Bilbo creating yet another ripple when he calmly let it slip that he has no “special powder” left and was dreading having to use a razor to shave his face.

-

Things could have gone better, Bilbo mused, scratching his chin through the daily thickening hair growing there. “Bilbo?” he closed his eyes and tried to hide in the small crack he had found. “Bilbo?!” He sighed, realising he couldn’t stay hidden from Nori for long, no matter where he hid. He climbed out, glaring, “Yes? What?” Nori blinked, then blinked again, then sat down. “How long? How long have we been here?” Bilbo shrugged, “About two weeks. Cram ran out two days ago, not that any of you actually noticed.” Nori nodded, looking pale and questioning, “Your beard. Its different.” Bilbo shrugged again, “It keeps growing out. Hair does that.”

When they walked back towards the others Nori whispered apologies, keeping a tight hold of his hobbits hand. Thorin watched over the search, then smiled brightly at Bilbo. Nori tried to pull him away from the King, but was too slow.

“Master Baggins! Take these. Gold. For your beautiful braids and beard!” Thorin said, smiling. Nori dropped Bilbo's hand and shook his head. “Uh Thorin? I’m sorry, but no. No I don’t really want these, thanks anyway.” The King glared at the beads then at the hobbit, “Why would you refuse a gift? Gold, Master Baggins, Gold beyond measure.” The King turned from the others and wandered off into the treasure piles once more. Bilbo leant into Nori and sighed, smiling as he felt his dwarf wrap strong arms around him. 

Nori smiled softly, tugging one of Bilbo's braids. The hobbit grinned up at him and then launched himself at the redhead, “I love them! They are absolutely perfect!” The wood carved beads in his new braids telling everyone just how much he loved them, and Nori.


End file.
